Captain Kohli guides India to commanding position against West Indies on first day

Published 20/07/2023 at 22:24 GMT

India are one of the strongest sides in Test cricket and they already hold a 1-0 lead over the West Indies in their tour this summer. They needed just three days to secure victory in the first Test, and started brightly in the second on Thursday. While they suffered regular losses of wickets, they were not frequent, and with four days to play they sit on 288-4.

Virat Kohli

Image credit: Getty Images

India looked in control once more against the West Indies after the first day of the second Test in Port-of-Spain.

The first Test lasted just three days as the visitors went 1-0 up in a two-Test series when they won by a monstrous innings at 141 runs in Dominica, and they finished the first day in a strong position of 288-4, and look in a good position to build a commanding lead before the home side are given a chance to score.

Virat Kohli made his 500th international appearance and came into the game with the score at 153-2, and he went on to add an unbeaten 87 as India stretched their lead despite falling to 182-4 by tea.

Kohli took his time during the tough early period of his innings, waiting 21 balls before he scored, and was assisted by 36 from Ravindra Jadeja alongside him after Ajinka Rahane went for just eight runs before being bowled by Shannon Gabriel.

The pair of them batted assiduously after watching the top order lose four wickets for just 61 runs after lunch, and ensured a mini-collapse did not get worse as West Indies found themselves in the ascendancy for the first time in the series. India were not helped as No. 3 Shubman Gill was dismissed by Kemar Roach, caught behind for just 10 runs.

Earlier, India’s captain Rohit Sharma and partner Yashasvi Jaiswal added a healthy lead, becoming the first opening pair for India to score back-to-back century partnerships since the turn of the millennium after their success in the first Test.

The pair hit the ground running with their scoring and put on 121 in the morning session. Ultimately Jaiswal fell for 57 after being caught at deep gully off Jason Holder, after a partnership of 139.

With four more days to come the West Indians will be hoping to strike early on Friday morning to bring the first innings for India to a close as they aim to level the series.

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